Tourist jailed after forgetting wallet at posh New York steakhouse

An Italian tourist spent a night in jail after dining at a posh steakhouse in New York and forgetting his wallet to pay the $208 (£130) bill.

NYDailyNews.com reports that Graziano Graziussi, a 43-year-old lawyer from Naples, offered to leave his iPhone with the restaurant while he fetched his wallet, but management at Smith and Wollensky had him arrested and charged with theft.

According to Fox News, Graziussi said he begged workers to let him get the money from the apartment where he was staying, but they were unsympathetic.

'I found it completely unreasonable to call the police when I was coming up with possible solutions,' he told The New York Post.

'I wasn't going to run away. I was there, I had just forgotten my wallet.'

Graziussi is a regular at the steakhouse and was just 24 hours into his two-week stay in New York, when the incident occurred.

When the police arrived, they asked him if he could have someone deliver the wallet or recite his credit card number but he could not, so he was taken into custody.

He was released the next morning on the condition he paid up.

'I don't think they should have arrested me in the first place,' he said. 'I wanted to pay the check.'

A manager at the restaurant said it is standard practice to call the police when a customer cannot pay.

At number nine is Europea, a 'charming Victorian mansion in the heart of downtown Montreal', which offers a creative and modern menu courtesy of Chef Jerome Ferrer (named chef of the year) and his team of 22 chefs. One Tripadvisor reviewer described Europea as "the best dining experience ever", while another said the restaurant deserved six stars! europea.ca

At number eight is Guy Savoy, a restaurant with several accolades including three Michelin stars and the AAA's "5-Diamond Award". The restaurant's interior, a blend of stone, wood, leather, sculptures, and paintings, includes a private dining room. The food offers a 'perfect balance of flavours and textures', says one reviewer. guysavoy.com

Creeping up the list at number seven is Ciya Sofrasi, a restaurant located in the Fish Market district of Kadiköy. Ciya specializes in a broad variety of dishes originating from "Mesopotamia to the Ottomans, the Balkans to the Caucasus and from Asia to the Arabian Peninsula", all crafted by chefs Zeynep and Musa. Recommendations from reviewers include the homemade Turkish soup, Tarhana Corbasi. ciya.com

Standing at number six is La Pergola, which is widely recognised as the best restaurant in Rome. The restaurant has three Michelin stars in addition to an impressive wine cellar with over 53,000 bottles! Several Tripadvisor reviewers highly recommend getting a table on the terrace in order to enjoy the restaurant's "spectacular" views. romecavalieri.com

At number five is Le Gavroche, the first restaurant in Britain to be awarded three Michelin stars. Michel Roux Jr, who took over from his father Albert in 1991, has modernised the restaurant's traditional menu by incorporating subtle Mediterranean and Asian flavours into the dishes. The restaurant has become famed for its excellent French haute cuisine. One Tripadvisor reviewer described the suckling pig for two as "perfectly executed" and the chocolate truffle with Praline, Caramel and Banana as 'divine'. Hungry yet? gavroche.co.uk

At number four is the relatively young restaurant, Girl & the Goat. Open since Summer 2010, Girl & the Goat serves "fun foods", "craft beers", and even its own wine. Bread is baked daily at the restaurant and you can always expect new creations on the menu. The interior offers bar seats, table seating and a comfy lounge. Reviewers seem particularly keen on the seafood, in particular the oysters and softshell crab girlandthegoat.com

High up the list at number three is Le Cirque, which is currently enjoying its ninth consecutive year as an AAA Five Diamond rated restaurant. Le Cirque is famed for its French cuisine, and the restaurant itself boasts an 'opulent dining room', 'coveted wines' and 'attentive service'. Tripadvisor reviewers were particularly keen on the coconut souffle and the chorizo crusted black cod. bellagio.com

Pipped at the post at number two is Restaurant Gary Danko. Widely recognised as one of America's most talented and respected chefs, Gary Danko combines classical training with focuses on French, Mediterranean, and regional American cooking. His restaurant has received a number of accolades, and Triapdvisor reviewers describe his dishes as 'fresh and stunning'. garydanko.com

And in at the top is Le Bernardin! The restaurant has been awarded three Michelin stars as well as The New York Times' highest rating of 4 stars, and has maintained its status of excellence for 20 years. Widely recognised as one of the world's top seafood restaurants, one reviewer described it as the finest dining they had ever experienced. le-bernadin.com

In at number ten is Toulouse Petit, a restaurant 'centered around the cuisine, decor and imagery of the French Quarter and New Orleans'. Toulouse Petit offers expansive menus with a diverse range of culinary options, from Parisian and French countryside preparations to dishes that are completely unique to the restaurant. One Tripadvisor reviewer praised the "fabulous cocktails" and the wine list. The Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Oil and Dungeness Crab went down well with reviewers, too... toulousepetit.com